New York State Governor Alfred E. Smith Central Subject and Correspondence Files

Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives

New York State Education Department

Cultural Education Center

Albany, NY 12230

Summary:

Alfred E. Smith served four terms as governor of New York. He is best remembered for advocating a comprehensive program aimed
at reforming the administration of state government. His central subject and correspondence files pertain to an array of topics
of critical importance during the post-World War I era and the 1920s. Topics of special interest include postwar readjustment,
reorganization of state government, enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment (prohibition), industrial relations, and Moreland
Act investigations of state agencies.

Creator:

New York (State). Governor (1919-1920, 1923-1928: Smith)

Title:

Central subject and correspondence files

Quantity:

101 cubic feet

Inclusive Dates:

1919-1920, 1923-1928

Series Number:

13682-53A

Arrangement

This series is arranged numerically by original file code assigned by the governor's office. File codes pertaining to Governor
Smith's first term (1919-1920) begin with the number 260; codes pertaining to his three subsequent terms (1923-1928) begin
with the number 200. Records from the later group appear first in the box listing. Microfilm was produced in the same order
found in the original records. Dates are noted in folder list only in cases where files pertain to specific events or files
are known to cover a limited date range.

Administrative History

Alfred Emanuel Smith was born in New York City on December 30, 1873. He married Catherine (Katie) Dunn on May 6, 1900 and
the couple raised a family of five children: Alfred, Jr., Emily, Catherine, Arthur, and Walter. Smith was first elected to
public office in 1903, when with the support of the Democratic Tammany Hall organization he claimed a seat in the New York
State Assembly. At the outset of the 1911 legislative session, he was named Assembly Majority Leader as well as chairman
of the Ways and Means Committee. Later that year, members of the newly established Factory Investigating Commission, created
in the wake of the disastrous Triangle Shirtwaist fire, named him vice chairman. In 1913, house membership elected Smith
Speaker of the Assembly, a post that he would hold until he left the legislature following the 1915 session.

After serving as New York County sheriff and President of the Board of Aldermen of Greater New York, Smith made his first
successful bid for the governor's office in 1918. Following his first term, he was defeated in his bid for reelection by
Nathan Miller. In 1922, Smith in turn defeated Miller to reclaim the governor's office. Smith was reelected governor in
both the 1924 and 1926 elections. In 1928, he ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic Party's candidate for president, losing
to Herbert Hoover. Smith returned to private life after the conclusion of the 1928 campaign and the completion of his fourth
gubernatorial term. He died on October 4, 1944 at the age of seventy.

As governor, Smith is best remembered for advocating a comprehensive program aimed at reforming the administration of state
government. Believing that greater efficiency allowed resources to be allocated where they could better serve the needs of
the public, his proposals included streamlining the massive, unwieldy, and decentralized structure of the executive branch
into a limited number of cabinet-level departments; reducing the body of executive branch officials elected by the public
to include solely the governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller, and attorney general; creating an executive budget system,
which vested in the governor sole authority to formulate the state's initial budget proposal; and increasing the governor's
term from two to four years. All but the last of these proposals were enacted during Smith's tenure as governor.

For detailed examinations of the life and political career of Alfred E. Smith, see Finan, Christopher M. Alfred E. Smith: The Happy Warrior. New York: Hill and Wang, 2002; and Slayton, Robert A. Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith. New York: Free Press, 2001.

Scope and Content Note

The central subject and correspondence files of Governor Alfred E. Smith pertain to an array of topics of critical importance
during the post-World War I era and the 1920s: State Reconstruction Commission and transition from war to peacetime administration;
reorganization of state government; ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment and enforcement of the Volstead Act; repeal of
the Mullen-Gage Prohibition Enforcement Act (state-level version of Volstead Act); milk prices and supply shortages; laws
proposed by the Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities (Lusk Committee); removal of Socialist Party
members from seats in the State Assembly; New York State Bonus Commission and the payment of bonuses to World War I veterans;
postwar housing shortage and demand for new residential construction; industrial working conditions, wages, labor relations,
and strikes; workmen's compensation.

Additional topics documented in the records include education funding and the establishment of rural schools; Native American
relations and land claims; bond issues in support of state projects such as construction of facilities for the care of wards
of the state; development and administration of the state park system; development, allocation, and pricing of energy resources,
particularly water power; motor vehicle regulation; public transportation fares; construction of roads; construction and administration
of the State Barge Canal; investigations of illegal gambling operations; and execution of requests for judicial assistance
(letters rogatory) received from foreign governments.

A significant portion of the records relate to examinations and investigations of the management and affairs of various state
departments, offices, commissions, and institutions, ordered by Governor Smith under provisions of the Moreland Act. The
records document investigations of state entities including the Arsenal Commission; Hospital Commission; Adjutant General's
Office; Department of Purchase; Department of Prisons; State Fair Commission; National Guard; Industrial Commission; State
Troopers at Batavia; Transit Commission; Parole Board; Census Bureau; and Soldiers and Sailors' Home at Bath. Additional
records document the governor's statutory authority to investigate or direct the investigation of charges against local government
officials, including county district attorneys and sheriffs.

Most files consist predominantly of original letters and telegrams from public officials and private citizens and organizations;
unsigned copies of replies or letters from the governor forwarding correspondence to state or local government officials for
action; and copies of state and local government officials' replies to the governor and/or the original correspondents. Other
types of records include minutes of meetings of state agencies; public hearing minutes; agency reports; newspaper clippings;
publications; background materials; copies of legislation and resolutions; invitations; and gubernatorial messages and speeches.
Moreland Act investigation files include hearing minutes, exhibits, legal contracts, correspondence, and final reports. Certain
files documenting investigations of charges against local government officials include copies of hearing minutes and legal
documents.

Related Information

Other finding aids

Series A3218, Alpabetical Card Index to Governors' Correspondence Files, contains references to numeric file codes by which
records in this series are arranged.

Use of Records

Access Restrictions

Access to certain records documenting Moreland Act investigations is restricted. Records are subject to review by State Archives
staff prior to disclosure.

Available Alternate Formats

This series has been microfilmed on 169 rolls and is available for use onsite or through interlibrary loan. NOTE: microfilm
was produced prior to transfer of the records to the New York State Archives. Exact range of files on each roll is not known
at this time. Interested researchers must contact the State Archives for assistance.

Access Terms

Personal Name(s):

Smith, Alfred Emanuel, 1873-1944

Corporate Name(s):

New York (State). Executive Dept.

New York (State). Joint Legislative Committee to Investigate Seditious Activities

New York and New Jersey Bridge and Tunnel Commission; also Vehicular Tunnel; includes reports 1924-1928

45

200-230

M. F. McDonough

45

200-231

H. M. Schmidt, Complaint of Regarding Raymond Palmer and Co.

45

200-232

Soldiers and Sailors Home, Bath, N.Y.

45

200-233

Alfred Nobile

45

200-234

William G. Simmons

45

200-235

Mrs. Grimaldi

45

200-236

Palisades Interstate Park

45

200-237

Charles W. McShane

46

200-238

Frank Peart

46

200-239

Harrison H. Lynn

46

200-240

Reorganization

46

200-241

Reorganization Commission

46

200-241-1

Reorganization

46

200-241-2

Miscellaneous

46

200-242 and 200-243

Dept. of Health, New York City

46

200-244

Veterans Relief Bureau

46

200-245

Miscellaneous

46

200-246 through 200-250

Niagara Falls Reservation

46

200-251

Illarian Illieff

46

200-252

1919 December 8

Speeches of Alfred E. Smith and Charles Evans Hughes at City Club

46

200-252

Craig Colony

46

200-253

Mary Agnes Traynor

46

200-254

Athletic Commission

46

200-255

Miscellaneous

46

200-256 through 200-266

Complaints regarding Mayor W. S. Hackett of Albany

46

200-267

Miscellaneous

46

200-268 through 200-275

Park Program and State Parks

47

200-276

State Council of Parks

47

200-276-1

Long Island Park Commission

47

200-276-2

Finger Lakes State Park Commission

47

200-276-3

Taconic State Park Commission

47

200-276-4

Central New York State Park Commission

47

200-276-5

Miscellaneous

47

200-277 and 200-278

A. L. Katlin

48

200-279

M. L. Grist

48

200-280

New York and Connecticut State Line

48

200-281

Miscellaneous

48

200-282 through 200-285

Commissioner of Immigration

48

200-286

Miscellaneous

48

200-287 and 200-288

Board of Child Welfare

48

200-289

Miscellaneous

48

200-290 through 200-297

Board of Education, New York City

48

200-298

Miscellaneous

48

200-299 through 200-301

Commissioner of Parks, New York City

48

200-302

Dept. of Public Welfare, New York City

48

200-303

Surrogate, New York County

48

200-304

S. Hawthorne

48

200-305

Lillian White, correspondence of Miss A.W. Hochfelder regarding death of

48

200-306

Charles De Roy Bailey

48

200-307

Board of Aldermen, New York City

48

200-308

Tri-Centenary, New York City

48

200-309

New York Stock Exchange

48

200-310

Federal Fuel Distributor

48

200-311

United States Dept. of Labor

48

200-312

State Agricultural and Industrial School, Industry, New York

48

200-313

Miscellaneous

48

200-314 through 200-319

Sailors Snug Harbor, New York City

48

200-320

Mrs. H. Lombard

48

200-321

Daniel C. Davis

48

200-322

Federal Prohibition Director

48

200-323

Sands Point Light Station Reservation

48

200-324

Walter G. Peterkin

48

200-325

Queens County District Attorney

48

200-326

Fred H. Birkholz

48

200-327

Miscellaneous

48

200-328 through 200-331

1923

Special Session

48

200-332

1924

Extra Session

48

200-332-1

1925

Extra Session called for June 22

48

200-332-2

1927

Extra Session

48

200-332-3

General Files; and General Files, A

48

200-333

General Files, B-C

49

200-333

General Files, D-G

50

200-333

General Files, H-La

51

200-333

General Files, Le-N

52

200-333

General Files, O-R

53

200-333

General Files, S-T

54

200-333

General Files, U-Z

55

200-333

Erie County District Attorney, Niagara County District Attorney

55

200-334

Federal Political Prisoners

55

200-335

Governors' Conference

55

200-336

State Fair Commission

55

200-337

Investigation (empty folder)

55

200-337-1

National Wheat Conference

55

200-338

1923 June 25

Extraordinary Special and Trial Term of Supreme Court, Westchester County (Ward Case), Requirement of the Attorney General,
June 25, 1923, Killing of Clarence E. Peters, Robert F. Wagner - Presiding Judge

56

200-339

International Paper Co. Strike

56

200-340

Ku Klux Klan

56

200-341

Brooklyn Navy Yard

56

200-342

Bronx County District Attorney

56

200-343

Western Home of Refuge

56

200-344

Fire Island State Park

56

200-345

Orleans County District Attorney

56

200-346

Schenectady Railway Strike

56

200-347

Chief of Police, Fulton, New York

56

200-348

Queens County Sheriff

56

200-349

1923

Princess Bay Light House

56

200-350

50 Million Dollar Bond Issue (for construction of buildings for institutions for the care, support, instruction, and training
of the wards of the state)

56

200-351

Civil Service Employees

56

200-352

British Ambassador

56

200-353

Salt Water Bays Commission

56

200-354

Superintendent of Public Buildings

56

200-355

Pleasant Plains Light House

56

200-356

Bear Mountain Bridge

56

200-357

Ferris Amendment

56

200-358

State Commissioner of Mental Defectives

56

200-359

New York State Commission for the Blind

56

200-360

Charges vs. Nassau County Jail and Sheriff

56

200-361

Charges vs. Clinton County Jail and Sheriff

56

200-362

Sullivan County Sheriff

56

200-363

Complaints against State Supreme Court Justice Daniel Cohalan

56

200-364

Saratoga Battle Grounds

56

200-365

Japanese Emergency

56

200-366

Charges vs. Mayor of Salamanca

56

200-367

Oswego County Depts.

56

200-368

Near East Relief

57

200-369

Pressmen's Strike

57

200-370

Printing of Session Laws

57

200-371

Polish Ship Lwow

57

200-372

Pollution of Waters - Sodus Bay

57

200-373

Miscellaneous

57

200-374 through 200-376

Orange County District Attorney

57

200-377

Schuyler County District Attorney

57

200-378

Charges vs. Frank P. Malpass - Onondaga County District Attorney

57

200-379

New York National Guard

57

200-380

New York State Training School for Girls at Hudson, N.Y.

57

200-381

Charges filed by Chester L. Benedict vs. John T. Morrison, President and George Wilkens, Secretary, Board of Elections Fulton
County

57

200-382

Extraordinary Trial Term of the Supreme Court, Seneca County

57

200-383

Extraordinary Special Term of the Supreme Court, New York County regarding 42nd Street Spur

57

200-384

Armory Commission

57

200-385

Automobile Accidents

57

200-386

Heckscher Foundation

57

200-387

Municipal Civil Service Commission

57

200-388

Gasoline Prices, New York City

57

200-389

Dr. Percy G. Waller

57

200-390

Miscellaneous

57

200-391 and 200-392

1923 December 11

Commission to Investigate Defects in the Law and Its Administration, including minutes of first commission meeting 12/11/1923

57

200-393

Long Beach City Charter

57

200-394

Roosevelt State Memorial

57

200-395

1924

Special Election, New York City, to fill vacancy in 18th Senate District

57

200-396

Camp Upton

57

200-397

D. S. Gifford

57

200-398

Rensselaer County District Attorney

57

200-399

Washington County District Attorney

57

200-400

Greene County District Attorney

57

200-401

Columbia County Sheriff

57

200-402

Chief of Police, Amsterdam

57

200-403

Hudson River Bridge

57

200-404

Albany County District Attorney

57

200-405

Herkimer County District Attorney

57

200-406

Sheriff and Justice of the Peace, Allegany County

57

200-407

Rockland County District Attorney

57

200-408

Commissioner of Elections, Warren County vs. J. Evans

57

200-409

Bill Drafting Commission

57

200-410

Cohoes Mayor

57

200-411

Glen Cove, New York

57

200-412

Nassau County Charges

57

200-413

Ventilation Commission

57

200-414

George H. West

57

200-415

Grade Crossings

57

200-416

Grade Crossing Conference

57

200-416-1

Grade Crossings, Delaware and Hudson Railroad

57

200-416-2

United States Veterans Bureau

58

200-417

Mayor of Schenectady

58

200-418

Syracuse State School for Mental Defectives

58

200-419

Sale of State Arsenal

58

200-420

Nassau County District Attorney

58

200-421

Ten Year Historic Celebration

58

200-422

Orleans County Sheriff

58

200-423

Tercentenary Celebration, New York State

58

200-424

Corporation Counsel, New York City

58

200-425

Invitations to the Executive Mansion

58

200-426

Suffolk County Clerk

58

200-427

Dutchess County District Attorney

58

200-428

Direct Primaries

58

200-429

Deeper Hudson

58

200-430

Governor's messages and other publications, requests for copies and other requests for information

Strike of Consolidated Railway Workers of New York employed by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company

64

200-519

Albany Airport

64

200-520

Florida Relief

64

200-521

1924

Minutes of Hearings and Reports of Sullivan Jones, Commissioner to Investigate State Arsenal Commission; State Hospital Commission;
State Adjutant General; State Dept. of Purchase; and State Dept. of Prisons

Complaints Against Saratoga County Officials filed by Peter A. Finley, including hearing minutes in Supreme Court

64-65

200-528

Gambling Saratoga

65

200-528-1

Report of Prison Industries; Investigation of State Parole Board, State Prison Department, and State Reformatories

65

200-529

1926

Investigation into the Matter of the Parole of Izzy Presser

65

200-529

Mexican Situation

66

200-530

Albany Port Authority

66

200-531

Board of Education, Albany

66

200-532

Governor's Cabinet

66

200-533

Charges against Montgomery County Officials

66

200-534

New York Lake Champlain Bridge Commission

66

200-535

1927

Conference called by Governor Smith on the Establishment of County Health Units

66

200-536

War Department, Washington, D.C.

66

200-537

Stage Censorship

66

200-538

New York City Food Supply

66

200-539

Hudson River Regulatory District

66

200-540

Sheriff, Ulster County

66

200-541

Monroe County District Attorney

66

200-542

Mississippi Flood

66

200-543

Niagara County District Attorney

66

200-544

Albion State School

66

200-545

Suffolk County Sheriff

66

200-546

1927

Fur Workers Strike, New York City

67

200-547

Columbia County Sheriff

67

200-548

Onondaga County Sheriff

67

200-549

Albany Medical College

67

200-550

Sinking Fund Commissioners

67

200-551

Commemorative Postage Stamps

67

200-552

300 Million Dollar Bond Issue

67

200-553

New England Flood

67

200-554

Ontario County Sheriff

67

200-555

Broome County Sheriff

67

200-556

1927 December 10

Extraordinary Special Term of Supreme Court, Cayuga County for Trial of Alexander Kalinowski, Justice J. B. M. Stephens Presiding

67

200-557

New York State Chamber of Commerce

67

200-558

Folder missing as of 7/10/1956

67

200-559

1927

Charges Regarding 2nd Municipal Court District Election, New York City

67

200-560

City of Cohoes

67

200-561

Seneca County District Attorney

67

200-562

Colonial States Historical Cannon Committee

67

200-563

Livingston County District Attorney

67

200-564

County Government

67

200-565

Queens County Clerk

67

200-566

Airport, New York City

67

200-567

Four Year Term for Governor - Radio Talk

67

200-568

Niagara County District Attorney

67

200-569

Application for Removal of J. T. Geddes, Election Commissioner of Erie County, by Ellen Reardon

67

200-570

1928

Extraordinary Session of the Legislature to Authorize the City of New York to Obtain a Stay by Posting Bond in Five-Cent Fare
Federal Litigation

67

200-571

Complaints against Mayor of Utica, New York, submitted by William. H. Hanrahan

67

200-572

1928

Maurice B. Gluck against The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Department, William P. Burr, Official Referee
and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York (in District Court of the United States for the Southern District of
New York)

67

200-573

1928

Complaint of Senator Gerald P. Nye against H. M. Blackmer

67

200-574

Oswego County District Attorney

67

200-575

Milk Code, Correspondence and Petitions

68

200-576

Reorganization of Government

68

200-577

Miscellaneous

68

200-578

Court of Appeals

68

200-579

Miscellaneous

68

200-580

Sheriff, Steuben Count

68

200-581

Miscellaneous

68

200-582

Liquidation of Northern Bank of New York

69

260-1

Consul's General-Appointment of

69

260-2

Propaganda and Brewing

69

260-3

Port of New York Authorizations; Transfer to the Federal Government of Quarantine Station

In the Matter of the Investigation by the Assembly of the State of New York as to the Qualifications of Louis Waldman, August
Claessens, Samuel A. DeWitt, Samuel Orr and Charles Solomon to Retain Their Seats in Said Body (Socialist Trial, State Assembly
including printed testimony)